Department for Transport

Great Western Railway: Subsidies

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are providing a subsidy to Great Western Railway; if so, why; and what lessons they have learned.

baroness sugg: Premium and subsidy payments, together with key components of those payments, are reported for each train operating company in the Office of Rail and Road’s Data Portal entry ‘Government subsidy per passenger kilometre by train operating company’. This can be found at: http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/data-portal. Directly awarded franchise agreements such as the Great Western Railway are awarded under the terms of procurement regulations. These require the Department to assure itself that the costs and revenues agreed with franchisees, and recorded in the franchise agreement as net premiums or subsidy, are correct. The Department continues to review its procurement processes to ensure that this requirement continues to be met in any new directly awarded franchises granted.

Silver Jubilee Bridge

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Silver Jubilee Bridge between Runcorn and Widnes will re-open.

baroness sugg: Halton Borough Council, who are responsible for the Silver Jubilee Bridge, have said that it is likely that pedestrians and cyclists will be able to cross the bridge in late summer 2019, with access to vehicular traffic from spring / summer 2020 once all the necessary maintenance and upgrade work is complete.

Railways: Freight

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the present status of the proposal to build a new freight terminal south of Northampton adjacent to the West Coast Railway Line.

baroness sugg: There are two proposals for freight terminals south of Northampton – Northampton Gateway, and Rail Central. Both are within the Planning Inspectorate’s Development Consent Order process. The examination in public for Northampton Gateway began on 9th October 2018 and is expected to conclude on or before 9th April 2019. Rail Central was accepted for examination on 15th November 2018. The Planning Inspectorate have three months from this date to prepare for examination. No timetable has yet been published.

Railways: North of England

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of whether the proposals from Transport for the North for a rail route across the Pennines makes adequate provision for the movement of freight.

baroness sugg: The Department has received a number of proposals to support freight capacity across the Pennines including the Trans Pennine route and Skipton to Colne. Officials continue to work closely with TfN and Network Rail on these proposals. We are currently considering next steps on the provision of additional rail freight capacity and capability across the Pennines and expect to make an announcement shortly.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

South Sudan: Arms Trade

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Conflict Armament Research,Weapon Supplies into South Sudan’s Civil War, published on 11 November, which states that (1) weapons from EU countries have been supplied to South Sudan despite an EU embargo, (2) such weapons are in use in South Sudan, and (3) the government of Uganda has acted as a conduit for the supply of weapons.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is deeply concerned by reports of alleged breaches by regional powers of the arms embargo imposed on South Sudan by the EU in 2011. We welcome the report by Conflict Armament Research as an important insight into the movement of arms that have such a devastating effect in perpetuating the suffering of the South Sudanese people. We strongly condemn any actions that could undermine or obstruct the path to peace in South Sudan, including enabling or facilitating the supply of weapons, equipment, or ammunition to parties of the conflict.In addition to the 2011 EU arms embargo, we urge the region and the international community to fully uphold their obligation to rigorously enforce the UN arms embargo on South Sudan, as agreed in July by the UN Security Council.

Cameroon: Armed Conflict

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether genocide is being perpetrated in southern Cameroon; and if so what action, if any, they plan to take in response.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Government policy is that any judgment on whether war crimes or crimes against humanity or genocide has occurred is a matter for judicial decision, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. The UK is deeply concerned about the situation in Cameroon and the deteriorating security situation in the Anglophone regions of the country. We continue to call for all parties in Cameroon to engage in a peaceful and structured process leading to constitutional reforms, as previously set out by the President, and to avoid excessive use of force. The UK will continue to work alongside the international community to encourage and support efforts to resolve the worsening Anglophone crisis.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, published on 22 November, what is the intention of paragraph 40 regarding "unjustified data localisation requirements"; and what range of subjects may be included under the provisions for "appropriate protection for... geographical indications" in paragraph 45.

lord callanan: The Political Declaration on the future relationship between the EU and the UK says “the Parties should establish provisions to facilitate electronic commerce, address unjustified barriers to trade by electronic means, and ensure an open, secure and trustworthy online environment for businesses and consumers”. This means that the UK and EU agree to work together to address unjustified barriers to the free flow of non-personal data, where they could disrupt businesses, such as rules restricting where data must be stored and processed. As for the ‘appropriate protection for...geographical indications’, the Political Declaration reaffirms that GI’s should be dealt with in the context of our future economic partnership; but it is also true that UK GIs such as Scotch whisky, Welsh lamb and Cornish Pasties will continue to be protected by the EU.The detail of how this will apply under the future relationship will be for further negotiation with the EU after our exit in March 2019.

Immigration Controls

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theDraft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, published on 22 November, how will "legitimate travel" in paragraph 55 be defined.

lord callanan: The Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK is clear that both side will explore the possibility to facilitate the crossing of their respective borders for legitimate travel. This would ensure smooth passage for UK nationals when they travel to the EU, for example on business or on holiday, and vice versa for EU citizens. The detail of how these mobility provisions will apply under the future relationship will be for further negotiation with the EU.

Brexit: Referendums

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support a second referendum on Brexit.

lord callanan: After a period of sustained public debate, a clear majority of the electorate voted to leave the EU in June 2016 with the highest number of votes cast for anything in UK electoral history. We must respect both the will of the British people, and the democratic process which delivered this result. As such, it is a matter of Government policy that there will not be a second referendum on our exit from the EU.

Brexit: Parliamentary Scrutiny

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government under what circumstances they would seek a second vote in the House of Commons on their Brexit proposals if they lose the meaningful vote.

lord callanan: If the House of Commons votes against the withdrawal agreement and future framework, the provisions of section 13(4) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 will apply. This would require a Minister of the Crown, within the period of 21 calendar days beginning with the day on which the House of Commons decides not to pass the resolution, to make a statement setting out how Her Majesty’s Government proposed to proceed in relation to negotiations for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union.

Brexit

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Explainer for the agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union, published on 14 November, on what basis it was determined that (1) Crown Dependencies will be required to pass their own legislation to ensure that the withdrawal agreement is fully implemented, and (2) such legislation will not be required from the devolved legislatures of Wales and Scotland.

lord callanan: It is long-standing constitutional convention that Acts of Parliament do not extend to the Crown Dependencies automatically, as they are not part of the United Kingdom but are self-governing jurisdictions with their own democratically-elected legislative assemblies. They are not represented in this Parliament. Therefore, although the United Kingdom Government is responsible for the Crown Dependencies’ international relations, each of the Crown Dependencies is responsible for passing its own Exit legislation. This includes legislation which may be required to implement the Withdrawal Agreement in their jurisdictions. As the Prime Minister has made clear, the longstanding constitutional relationships between the UK and the Crown Dependencies will not change as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the EU.For the UK, the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill will implement our international commitments - set out in the Withdrawal Agreement - into UK law. We will seek the consent of the devolved legislatures where provisions of the Bill engage the conventions and practices under which the UK Government will normally seek legislative consent.

European Defence Agency

lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their objectives contained in theDraft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union include continued participation in the European Defence Agency.

lord callanan: The UK and the EU will continue to work together closely on foreign and security policy issues as part of an ambitious new security partnership. This partnership will be based on the UK and the EU’s shared values, and commitment to work together to respond quickly and effectively to changing threats.The Political Declaration provides for the UK and the EU to collaborate on capability development to ensure armed forces remain capable and interoperable. The UK and the EU have agreed that UK participation in relevant European Defence Agency (EDA) projects and initiatives, now and in the future, will be beneficial for both parties. Through the negotiation of an Administrative Arrangement — which is the formal agreement through which third countries can participate in EDA projects — the UK and the EDA can continue to work together on projects of mutual interest.

Driving

lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their objectives contained in theDraft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union include continued mutual recognition of (1) driving licences, and (2) the disabled persons Blue Badge scheme.

lord callanan: We have now agreed in principle a draft Withdrawal Agreement with the other 27 EU nations. To ensure that citizens and businesses in the UK and across the EU can plan for life after our withdrawal with confidence, this sets out the terms of an implementation period during which EU citizens and UK nationals will be able to continue to drive in each territory as they do now.The Political Declaration on the Framework for the Future Relationship between the EU and the UK Government was published on 22 November. It sets out that the UK and EU should consider arrangements to address travel by private motorists in our future negotiations. We intend that this will cover the both the recognition of driving licences as well as the Blue Badge scheme. We believe it is in the interests of both sides to conclude an agreement covering these arrangements.

EU Institutions

lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the annual cost of the UK's participation in (1) the European Medicines Agency, (2) the European Chemicals Agency, and (3) the European Aviation Safety Agency; and how much they estimate setting up and running replacement agencies would cost in theevent of continued participation not being possible after Brexit.

lord callanan: Currently, Member States do not contribute to individual agencies, but to EU budgets as a whole. It is therefore not possible to use the UK’s financing share of the whole budget to calculate our contribution to specific EU Agencies.As set out in the Political Declaration on the Framework of the Future Relationship between the EU and the UK, we are exploring the possibility of cooperation of United Kingdom authorities with Union agencies such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). We will carry on working with the European Union to see on what basis and under what conditions UK participation can take place. The exact arrangements will be a matter for the next phase of negotiations.

Gibraltar: Spain

lord hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have offered any (1) assurances, and (2) concessions to Spain in relation to Gibraltar as part of the Brexit negotiations; and if so, what.

lord callanan: The Government has negotiated the withdrawal agreement for the whole UK family. There were some circumstances which were specific to Gibraltar which meant we also held talks between the UK Government, Government of Gibraltar and Spain. This led to positive agreement on issues such as cooperation on policing, environmental matters, tobacco and citizens’ rights. These agreements underpin the Gibraltar Protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement.In concluding the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK wrote to confirm the position we had always held, that Article 184 is without prejudice to the territorial scope and form of future agreements with the EU. However, as a matter of firm UK policy, we will only agree a deal on the future which works for the whole UK and we will negotiate a deal that works for Gibraltar as part of future negotiations.The Prime Minister said on 26 November, ‘the Government stood by Gibraltar and resisted changes to the Withdrawal Agreement that the Spanish Government wished to make. We are clear that Gibraltar’s sovereignty will not change. It has not changed and will not change. We are proud that Gibraltar is British’.

Public Transport

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theDraft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the UK and the EU,why they decided to include an intention to make bilateral agreements for cross-border rail services; why no similar intention was included for cross-border bus services; whether they carried out a consultation on such arrangements;and if so, what were the results.

lord callanan: As outlined in the Future Relationship White Paper in July and the Political Declaration on the Framework for the Future Relationship between the EU and the UK Government, published on 22 November, the EU and the UK have agreed that the UK will pursue bilateral agreements. These will be undertaken with France, Belgium and the Netherlands to ensure the continued smooth functioning and operation of services through the Channel Tunnel, and with Ireland to do the same for the Belfast‑Dublin Enterprise line.Outside of these cross-border services, the UK will have the flexibility to shape its own domestic railway legislation to meet the needs of its passengers and freight shippers, and reflect the unique characteristics of the rail network within the UK.Continued market access for transport between the UK and the EU, including for bus and coach travel, is in our mutual interests. We will seek to agree cross-border bus services as part of the future relationship with the EU. In the event of no deal, as set out in the Department for Transport Technical Notice ‘Operating bus or coach services abroad if there’s no Brexit deal’, the UK would seek to put in place bilateral agreement with EU countries.Consultations with industry have been ongoing, and we will continue to take on board the views of stakeholders.

Brexit: Northern Ireland

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether EU agreement to lift the Northern Irish backstop would require unanimity among remaining EU member states.

lord callanan: The means by which the EU would establish its position in the Joint Committee is a matter for the EU and its internal processes. However, recent EU case law (Case C-244/17) suggests it would be done by means of a qualified majority vote in the Council.

Brexit

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, published on 14 November, why provision is made in Article 183 for the text of the agreement to be equally authentic in the Irish language, but not in the Welsh language.

lord callanan: Article 183 of the Withdrawal Agreement provides for the text to be equally authentic in the official languages of the European Union, which includes the Irish language. Welsh is not an official language of the European Union.

Brexit

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, published on 14 November, what is the precise date or dates implied in Article 184 for a "political declaration of[DD/MM/2018]"; and in the event of that declaration not being achieved before 31 December, what provision has been agreed for the amendment of the document.

lord callanan: The Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK was published on the 25th November 2018. Article 184 of the Withdrawal Agreement published on the 25th November 2018 refers to “the political declaration of 25/11/2018”.

Government Assistance: Northern Ireland

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, published on 14 November, whether the regulation of state aid will be on the same basis in Northern Ireland as in Wales, Scotland and England during the transition period.

lord callanan: Yes. During the transition or implementation period the EU State aid rules will remain in place throughout the UK, and the EU Commission will be the Regulator as at present.

Fisheries

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, published on 22 November, what are the implications of the agreement of the "rational management and regulation of fisheries in a non-discriminatory manner" in relation to "Fishing Opportunities" when applied to fishing within UK territorial waters.

lord callanan: The full Political Declaration reaffirms that, when we leave the EU, the UK will become an independent coastal state in control of its waters. As outlined in the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK and the EU shall use their best endeavours to conclude and ratify a new fisheries agreement before 1 July 2020. Specific arrangements will be a matter for discussions, as part of the next stage of negotiations, including access by non-UK vessels to fish in UK waters. Any non-UK registered vessels granted access to UK waters will need to meet the same requirements as our fleet across all UK fishing zones, including adherence to sustainable practices.The Fisheries Bill creates the powers necessary to build a sustainable and profitable fishing industry, one which is in the best interests of the whole UK and future generations. We have also recently announced an amendment to the Fisheries Bill that would place a legal obligation on the government, when negotiating a fisheries agreement with the EU, to pursue a fairer share of fishing opportunities than the UK currently receives under the Common Fisheries Policy

Department of Health and Social Care

Drugs: Counterfeit Manufacturing

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to protect patients from counterfeit medicines if the Falsified Medicines Directive ceases to apply in the UK after Brexit.

lord o'shaughnessy: In the United Kingdom, strict regulatory controls govern the sale, supply, manufacture, distribution and advertising of medicinal products. Although no fatalities in the UK have been attributed to a falsified medicine sourced from the UK regulated supply chain, the potential threat to patient health is recognised and taken seriously across Government.The European Union Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) was adopted in 2011 and introduced new harmonised measures to ensure that medicines in the EU are safe and that trade in medicines is properly controlled.The parts of the Directive that have already been implemented – including tougher rules on the control and inspection of producers of active pharmaceutical ingredients – would be converted into UK law through the Withdrawal Act and therefore remain in place after exit.The final element of the Directive – the Delegated Regulation for new safety features – is due to come into force in February 2019, including the creation of a central EU data hub. The UK will still be a Member State in February 2019 and will therefore implement the FMD Delegated Regulation in line with our existing obligations.In terms of what would happens after the UK exits the EU, during an implementation period the UK would maintain the new safety features and retain access to the EU central data hub, with arrangements beyond the implementation period still subject to negotiation. In the unlikely event the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 with no deal in place, then as stated in the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency recent No Deal consultation, we expect the UK would not have access to the EU central data hub, and therefore the proposal is that legal obligations related to this would be removed for actors in the UK supply chain. In the interests of public safety, we would then evaluate the options around a future national falsified medicines framework.Whatever the exit scenario, we will continue to ensure that UK patients are able to access the best and most innovative medicines and that their safety is protected.

Drugs: Manufacturing Industries

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pharmaceutical manufacturers have guaranteed to hold six weeks' supply of their medicines for the next six months on top of their buffer stocks; and what proportion of pharmaceutical medicines used in the UK are now covered by that guarantee.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has agreed the terms of our exit from the European Union, as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement. The Withdrawal Agreement offers a time-limited implementation period that provides a bridge to the future relationship, allowing business, including the life sciences industry, to continue trading as now until the end of 2020. The supply of medicines and medical supplies would remain unchanged during the implementation period.As a responsible Government, however, we continue to prepare proportionately for all scenarios, including the unlikely outcome that we leave the EU without any deal in March 2019.On 23 August 2018, the Department asked suppliers of all prescription-only and pharmacy medicines with an EU/European Economic Area touch point to confirm their contingency arrangements for continued supply to United Kingdom patients beyond 29 March 2019 in the event of a no-deal Brexit and possible delays at the border in the following period.To date we have received very good engagement from industry, who share our aims of ensuring continuity of medicines supply for patients is maintained and able to cope with any potential delays at the border that may arise in the short term in the event of a no-deal Brexit. However, as our engagement exercise is still on-going we do not yet have final figures to report.

Haematological Cancer

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 5 November (HL10893), what is the average cost to the NHS of treating patients with (1) leukaemia, (2) non-hodgkin lymphoma, (3) hodgkin lymphoma, and (4) myeloma.

lord o'shaughnessy: The data is not collected in the format requested.

Mental Health Services: Greater Manchester

lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the additional funding for the NHS announced in the budget has been allocated to mental health services in Greater Manchester.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government announced its long term financial settlement for the National Health Service in June. This will represent an increase of £20.5 billion in real terms by 2023/24. The Government has asked the NHS to develop a long-term plan which will set out a vision for the health service. The Government has been clear that better access to mental health services, to help achieve the Government’s commitment to parity of esteem between mental and physical health, is one of the principles which must underpin the plan.The 2018 Budget set out some aspects of what the long-term plan will contain, and further details on how the long-term plan will be applied in specific areas will follow when the plan is published in due course.

Drugs: Refrigeration

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many contracts they have signed for additional cold chain capacity for medicines after the UK leaves the EU.

lord o'shaughnessy: In October, the Department invited wholesalers and pre-wholesalers of pharmaceutical warehouse space to bid for Government funding to secure the additional capacity needed for stockpiled medicines covering ambient, cold chain and controlled drug storage. We had a good response to that invitation and funding for selected organisations has now been agreed. Contracts will be signed shortly.

World Encephalitis Day

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support World Encephalitis Day on 22 February 2019.

lord o'shaughnessy: There are currently no specific plans. NHS England works with partners such as voluntary sector organisations to synchronise communications activity in line with many annual awareness days. The NHS England communications team may also provide support to maximise the reach of established campaigns.

Clinical Trials: EU Law

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the EU Clinical Trials Regulation, due to come into effect in 2019, will apply to clinical trials in the UK after Brexit.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government values the strong collaborative partnerships that we have across the European Union in the areas of science, research and innovation, and as part of Exit negotiations is working to ensure that we have the best possible environment in which to support clinical trials and new medicines after we leave the EU. Regarding the EU’s new Clinical Trials Regulation (CTR), the CTR is expected to be implemented during 2020 and would therefore apply to the United Kingdom under the terms of the time-limited implementation period. If the new regulation does not come into force during the implementation period, or in the unlikely event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Government has confirmed that UK law will remain aligned with parts of the EU’s CTR legislation that are within the UK’s control.

Energy Drinks: Labelling

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce statutory requirements on companies who produceenergy drinks to use more prominent labelling on such products after Brexit.

lord o'shaughnessy: We are considering the opportunities offered by exiting the European Union, which include giving us greater flexibility to determine what information should be presented on packaged food and how it should be displayed, and we will work alongside industry and other stakeholders to decide what will be next for labelling. We want to build on the success of our current labelling scheme and ensure we are using the most effective ways to communicate information to families.

Nutrition (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what factors they took into consideration when deciding that 11 days was an appropriate consultation period for the Nutrition (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018.

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to consider extending the consultation period on proposed amendments to the Nutrition (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 to allow sufficient time for stakeholders to provide meaningful feedback.

lord o'shaughnessy: Proposals addressed by the Nutrition (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 public consultation are predominantly technical in nature, simply changing European Union-specific references so that relevant legislation remains effective when the United Kingdom is no longer a member state.Plans outlined in the consultation would therefore provide continuity and assurance for business and consumers, as they seek to mirror existing European systems domestically as far as is practically possible.As the duration of a consultation is informed by the nature and impact of the proposals we consider a relatively short consultation period appropriate, and therefore have no plans to extend its length.

NHS: Negligence

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 5 November (HL10962), whether the figures for the total government spend on clinical negligence in 2016–17 and 2018–19 include legal costs.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS Resolution handles clinical negligence claims on behalf of National Health Service organisations and independent sector providers of NHS care in England.As stated in my answer of 5 November, the total Government spend on clinical negligence was £1.7 billion in the financial year 2016-17 and £2.2 billion in the financial year 2017-18. These figures did include legal costs and NHS Resolution has provided the following information about legal costs in these two financial years.Legal costs for 2016-17 were:- Claimant costs: £498 million- Defence costs: £126 millionLegal costs for 2017-18 were:- Claimant costs: £467 million- Defence costs: £129 millionNote:Claimant costs are legal costs incurred by the claimant in bringing a claim for compensation.Defence costs are legal costs incurred by NHS Resolution in dealing with the claim received.

Department for Education

Physical Education

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the role that physical education and school sport can play in tackling childhood obesity.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the benefits to children of participation in physical education and school sport.

lord agnew of oulton: The government is clear that physical education (PE) and school sport is important as it teaches pupils the importance of developing healthy habits from an early age that can have positive impacts on pupil health, mental wellbeing, character and childhood obesity. The first ever Active Lives Children and Young People Survey published by Sport England on 6 December showed a positive association between engagement in sport and physical activity and levels of mental wellbeing. The survey is attached. In October my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced a new School Sport and Activity Action Plan to be published in spring 2019 which will help get more young people active and enjoying the benefits of sport.Through the Childhood Obesity Plan, attached, the government is supporting the delivery of the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines that every primary age child should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to physical activity a day, of which 30 minutes should be delivered in school. The Childhood Obesity Plan Chapter 2 update, attached, sets out that the government will promote a national ambition for every primary school to embrace an active mile, such as the Daily Mile into the school day.Through the primary PE and sport premium, the government has invested over £1 billion of ring-fenced funding to primary schools to improve PE and sport since 2013. A further £100 million of revenue generated from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy has been used for the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund in 2018-19, which can be used to improve children’s access to facilities for physical activity. 



Active_Lives_Children_&_Young_People_Survey
(PDF Document, 3.5 MB)




Childhood_Obesity_Plan
(PDF Document, 409.15 KB)




Childhood_Obesity_Plan_Chapter_2
(PDF Document, 544.48 KB)

Ministry of Justice

Sentencing

lord stevens of kirkwhelpington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure sentencing of offenders is cost-effective and provides value for money for taxpayers.

lord stevens of kirkwhelpington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their response tothe House of Commons Justice Committee report, Cutting crime: the case for justice reinvestment,publishedin March 2010 (Cm 7819), what steps they have taken to make sentencing more evidence-based and non-partisan.

lord keen of elie: Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts. When deciding what sentence to impose the courts take into account the circumstances of each case in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines issued by the independent Sentencing Council. The Council has a statutory duty to produce resource assessments when it publishes its draft guidelines, as well as an assessment each year of the impact of sentencing practice on the resources required for the provision of prison places, probation and youth justice services. There is persuasive evidence that community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective in reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences. In the event that a community order is imposed, courts have the flexibility to select requirements that provide opportunities to address the specific issues which contribute to a risk of re-offending. For example, treatment requirements enable access to specialist help with mental health or substance misuse problems, whilst electronically monitored curfews can provide stability and structure in offenders’ lives while maintaining family ties, accommodation or employment. Prior to sentencing, the National Probation Service will conduct an assessment of the offender, covering their circumstances and the reasons for their offending. NPS staff will then advise the court on the sentencing options which are likely to be most effective in managing risk and tackling the problems which are leading to offending. The NPS are taking steps to improve the quality of this advice by rolling out the Effective Proposal Tool, which helps NPS staff identify the interventions that match the assessed risks and rehabilitative needs in each case, and aims to be supported by detailed information on the range of locally available interventions and services. We recently consulted on what more we can do to improve the effectiveness of pre-sentence advice as part of the ‘Strengthening Probation, Improving Confidence’ consultation. The Government will publish its response in due course.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Affordable Housing: Construction

lord horam: To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact permitted development rights have had on the number of affordable homes built.

lord horam: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they hold about the housing tenure being delivered through permitted development rights.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: National permitted development rights make an important contribution to housing delivery, with over 32,000 homes delivered under such rights in the two years to March 2018. Information on the tenure of these additional homes is not collected centrally.

Housing: Construction

lord horam: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure local support for homes built through permitted development rights.

lord horam: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of opposition to developments built through permitted development rights.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The introduction of new permitted development rights is considered through public consultation. Views shared are considered when deciding whether to bring forward a new right and how it would apply. Alongside there is regular engagement with key stakeholders. Where a permitted development right requires the prior approval of the local planning authority on specific planning matters adjoining owners and occupiers would usually be notified and the local community would have an opportunity to comment.

Ministry of Defence

Galileo System

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the Galileo project on security and defence co-operation with the EU after Brexit.

earl howe: The UK has made an unconditional commitment to maintain Europe's security, which is why we are seeking a new, ambitious future security partnership with the EU to tackle the common threats we face and safeguard our citizens. The Political Declaration sets out a comprehensive future security partnership, which provides for close, flexible and scalable cooperation that will allow UK and EU efforts to be combined, when it is in our mutual interests. This includes UK participation in EU missions on a case by case basis, consideration of how best the UK and the EU might cooperate on international development, consultation on sanctions, and the voluntary and timely exchange of intelligence. The deal ensures that cooperation can be scaled up in the event of a crisis.The UK has made clear that it could only justify continued participation in the Galileo programme on a basis that would enable us to rely on Galileo for our national security. The offer on the table from the European Commission does not meet our stated security or industrial requirements and, on this basis, the Prime Minister has confirmed the UK will not use Galileo for defence or critical national infrastructure after we leave the EU.Non-participation in Galileo will not have any immediate impact on UK defence and security capabilities. The encrypted Galileo service is not due to be active until the mid-2020s, and the UK will retain access to US GPS services as it does at present. We are working on options for a national alternative to Galileo to guarantee our satellite positioning, navigation and timing needs are met in the future. The Government has invested £92 million of Brexit readiness money for the design and development of the UK programme.

Ministry of Defence: Dogs

baroness boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many working dogs there are in (1) the army, (2) the Royal Air Force, (3) the Royal Navy, and (4) the Ministry of Defence; and for each of those organisations, what is the total daily cost of the food for those dogs.

earl howe: As at 1 November 2018, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) had 884 Military Working Dogs (MWD). This number will vary slightly each month as MWD enter and leave the service. All dogs are owned by the Defence Animal Training Regiment and the Department does not hold information on their exact breakdown by single Service. Through the contract with Leidos, the MOD's logistic specialist partner, the MOD spent around £227,000 on dog food between 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018. This includes food for Regimental mascots but does not cover, specialist dog food (e.g for dogs with sensitive stomachs), dental chews, training aids and treats. An annual breakdown of food costs by service is shown below:Army£105,000Navy£5,000RAF£33,000MOD£84,000Total£227,000 Note: All figures are rounded to the nearest £1000 for presentational purposes

Home Office

Immigrants: Detainees

baroness barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement made by the Home Secretary on 24 July (HC Deb, col 908), whether they plan to publish more data on the number of LGBTQI+ immigration detainees.

baroness williams of trafford: On the 29th November the Government published additional information on those held within the Immigration Detention Estate in direct response to the statement made by the Home Secretary in July and committed to a review of our published data to further improve transparency.However, we are unable to publish data on LGBTQI detainees. The identification of an LGBTQI individual detained under immigration powers, is entirely at the discretion of the individual. Consequently, even a manual trawl of cases of individuals detained will not necessarily be representative of the true number of LGBTQI individuals detained during any period.The fact that an individual detained under immigration powers within an IRC or prison is transsexual will always be recorded in a manner sensitive to the needs of that individual, not for statistical purposes. As it is rare for the detention of a trans or intersex person to occur, any reporting would risk the identification of individuals.

Immigrants: Detainees

lord stevens of kirkwhelpington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the conditions of immigration detainees who are being detained for indeterminate lengths of time due to a lack of appropriate alternative accommodation.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government treats detainee welfare as a matter of the utmost seriousness and expects the highest standards from those who manage the detention estate on its behalf. Conditions at all detention facilities, are kept under regular review. Independent scrutiny is a vital part of assurance that our removal centres are secure and humane. We will continue to implement actions in response to recommendations made by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons and by the individual centre’s Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) in their published reportsAny asylum seeker, including foreign national offenders released from de-tention on bail, can apply for accommodation and other support if they would otherwise be destitute.Asylum seekers who require support are housed where there is appropriate accommodation available. Agreements between the Government and participating local authorities are voluntary and our dispersal policy ensures a reasonable spread amongst UK local authoritiesDecisions about accommodation and detention are made on a case by case basis. We work closely with the Police, HM Prison and Probation service to source and offer suitable accommodation as quickly as possible when it is required.We are aware of some cases that are waiting for accommodation to be allocated and we are working closely with the accommodation providers, Police and HM Prison and Probation Service to source suitable accommodation. These are complex cases, as they relate mostly to Foreign National Offenders who have specific accommodation needs and restrictions that must be met before they can be released safely from detention.Detention and removal of those with no lawful basis to stay in the UK are essential parts of effective immigration controls. However, we do not detain individuals indefinitely when people are detained, it is for the minimum time possible and detention is reviewed on a regular basis.

Cabinet Office

Digital Mapping

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they place any restrictions on which companies are permitted to develop high definition mapping databases of UK cities and countryside; whether there are particular restrictions depending on which country a company is registered in; and if so, to which countries such particular restrictions apply.

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they monitor commercial mapping projects undertaken in the UK.

lord young of cookham: There are no restrictions on the creation of mapping databases of the UK and the government does not formally monitor such projects.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Global Positioning System

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 27 November (HL11428), what steps they are taking to ensure the relevant enforcement agencies are taking action to prevent the open sale of low-cost GPS jammers on services such as eBay.

lord ashton of hyde: Ofcom has an arrangement with services such as eBay to have listings for jammers of all types to be removed and is in regular contact with vendors to remove listings that are placed.

Mobile Phones: Fees and Charges

lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to (1) replace EU legislation about mobile telephone roaming charges, and (2) ensure that UK subscribers are protected from excessive charges after the UK leaves the EU.

lord ashton of hyde: In the event of a deal, surcharge-free roaming would continue to be guaranteed during the Implementation Period. Following the Implementation Period the arrangements for roaming, including surcharges, would depend on the outcome of the negotiations on the Future Economic Partnership. The Political Declaration on the UK's Future Economic Partnership proposes a framework for negotiations with the EU, including for services and digital sectors. That approach would not preclude discussions with the EU on arrangements for consumers, for example in the area of mobile roaming. In the event of no deal, the government has published a technical notice on mobile roaming. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-roaming-if-theres-no-brexit-deal/mobile-roaming-if-theres-no-brexit-deal

TripAdvisor

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings, if any, ministers have had with organisations concerned about the operation of TripAdvisor in the UK.

lord ashton of hyde: The Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism meets regularly with a range of stakeholders to discuss a range of issues relating to UK Tourism.

TripAdvisor

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings, if any, have taken place between UK or United States representatives of TripAdvisor and ministers or officials at which issues relating to damaging or malicious online comments about hotel or catering services have been discussed.

lord ashton of hyde: The Minister for the Arts, Heritage and Tourism met with TripAdvisor in July this year. DCMS Tourism officials have also held a number of meetings with TripAdvisor to discuss a range of issues.

5G

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to invest in the development of 5G network infrastructure.

lord ashton of hyde: We are committed to becoming a world leader in 5G, and for the majority of the population to have access to a 5G signal by 2027. Government recognises that 5G will require substantial industry investment, and that the vast majority of capital investment required to rollout 5G will need to come from the private sector. However, the government can help foster the development of the ecosystem and is doing so through its 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme. Government has so far allocated £200 million from the National Productivity Investment Fund to the Programme to help establish new business models and revenue streams which in turn could lead to accelerated private sector investment.